The Story Structure That Will Make Your Novel A Bestseller

By: George Hutton

Have you ever wondered why many blockbusting movies and books have the same structure to them? Sometimes it almost seems as if they all copied from the same playbook.

Here is the general theme for many of them, in case you haven't noticed. There is a character, which is a normal guy or gal that you can relate to. They are kind of bored with their life, and they long for something more. Then something happens, and they are "invited" to go on some kind of a journey or a quest. But it is too big, too scary, too dangerous, so they refuse. They are prompted again and again until they have no choice but to go along.

Along this journey, they realize they have skills and resources they didn't know they had. Along the journey, they must face a bad guy of epic proportions. In defeating this bad guy, they win over the crowd, get the girl (or guy) and become and recognized hero of their society. Can you think of any stories like this?

Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz," Neo in "The Matrix," Luke Skywalker in "Star Wars," Harry Potter in "Harry Potter," Peter Parker in "Spiderman," and the list goes on and on.

This is the basic structure of a myth called "The Hero's Journey," as described by American mythologist Joseph Campbell. It is the basic story structure that has been told for thousands of years, in literally thousands of different cultures. It is the story that captures the hearts and minds of men and women, and will likely do so for thousands of years to come.

The reasons for this are deeply psychological and some have argued that there is some connection between humans, and since we all share this connection, we are all moved by the same story structure.

From ancient Native American stories to modern blockbusters, this story structure hasn't changed very much.

When George Lucas made the original Star Wars (Episode Four, A New Hope) he relied heavily on the advice of Campbell. Some say he was the main reason for the huge success of that franchise. Because it was true to the deeply held mythical structure, it resonated with so many.

If you are a writer, and you want to write a story that will be read by millions, you will do well to stick to this structure. For some reason this story structure is imprinted deep onto our subconscious minds. And when you can spin a yarn that will resonate on that deep a level, you can't go wrong.

Article Source: http://www.newarticledaily.com

Taking the first step is sometimes the hardest for some. Because you can imagine what it will be like when you become successful, you can take advantage of this opportunity. You'll find out just how easy that is when you visit www.georgehutton.net/zapotec

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